Ravens Expected To Hire Marcus Brady To Offensive Staff
The Ravens continue to work on filling out their coaching staff under new head coach Jesse Minter. One of the newest updates comes from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports who reports that Chargers offensive pass game coordinator Marcus Brady is expected to join Baltimore’s offensive staff. 
Brady’s road to the NFL was an intriguing one. After wrapping up his collegiate playing career at Cal State Northridge, Brady went undrafted in both the NFL and CFL in 2002 before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts. He played seven years in the CFL before immediately shifting to a coaching role in 2009. By 2012, he had become an offensive coordinator and spent six seasons as an OC in Canada. After winning the Grey Cup in 2017, Brady finally got an opportunity in the NFL.
Brady’s first NFL job came in Indianapolis under then-head coach Frank Reich. He spent a year as assistant quarterbacks coach before being named to quarterbacks coach the next year. When Nick Sirianni departed for the head coaching job in Philadelphia two years later, Brady was promoted to offensive coordinator, though Reich was calling plays. After Reich was fired midseason, Brady was let go, as well, and he rebounded quickly, landing with Sirianni as an offensive assistant for the Eagles.
Brady has frequented offensive coordinator interviews over the years. In 2024, the Chargers considered him for their OC position before hiring him to his most recent role. Last year, he interviewed for the OC jobs in New England and Tampa Bay, and the Chargers interviewed him again this year before hiring Mike McDaniel. Now expected to depart, Brady will likely hold the same offensive pass game coordinator title in Baltimore.
Looking to fill out another position on the offensive staff, the Ravens are also expected to hire Broncos pass game specialist Zack Grossi to be their tight ends coach, per Zenitz. Baltimore recently signed veteran tight end Mark Andrews to a three-year extension, meaning he will get a chance to enhance his numbers as the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions (484), receiving yards (5,952), and receiving touchdowns (56). The rest of the room is currently a bit of a mystery as Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar are both set to hit free agency. Grossi was diagnosed with cancer partway through the Broncos’ 2024 campaign and declared cancer-free eight months later.
On the defensive side of the ball, Zenitz reports that Baltimore is hiring Duke assistant coach/defensive ends coach Harland Bower to serve as their new outside linebackers coach. In 2024, the Blue Devils finished sixth in the NCAA in sacks (43) and third in tackles for loss (116). Their sack numbers dipped a bit in 2025, but they finished strong in tackles for loss once again, ranking 11th in the nation with 93. He’ll be in charge of coaching up a position group that underperformed for the Ravens in 2025. Veterans Kyle Van Noy and Dre’Mont Jones, as well as David Ojabo, are headed for free agency, but young pass rushers Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, and Adisa Isaac all return in 2026.
Lastly, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Chuck Pagano will not be retained on Minter’s staff in Baltimore. The former Colts head coach came out of four years of retirement to rejoin John Harbaugh‘s staff for the 2025 campaign, but with Harbaugh now departed, he’ll take his leave now, as well.
2026 NFL Offseason Outlook Series
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AFC East
- Buffalo Bills
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AFC North
- Baltimore Ravens
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AFC South
- Houston Texans
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- Denver Broncos
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NFC East
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NFC North
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Ravens Add Lou Esposito, Israel Woolfork To Staff
Jesse Minter continues to shape his first coaching staff in Baltimore. On defense, the Ravens have hired Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito for the same role, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reported earlier tonight that the two sides were close.
While Esposito doesn’t have any direct ties to Baltimore, there are some indirect connections to the staff and the organization. When Minter joined the Chargers following a two-year stint as Michigan’s defensive coordinator, Esposito caught on with the program as the DL coach. During Esposito’s time at Michigan, he worked under former Ravens DC Wink Martindale, who has spent the past two years in the same role with the Wolverines.
This will represent Esposito’s first NFL gig. He’s had a long career coaching in the college ranks, including multiple stops at Western Michigan. Following a three-year stint as Davenport’s head coach, he spent seven years as the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan. In Baltimore, he’ll be working under long-time defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens have landed on Lamar Jackson‘s new positional coach. Schefter reported yesterday that the Ravens have hired Israel Woolfork as their new QBs coach. Woolfork spent the past three seasons coaching Kyler Murray in Arizona, and he got a career year out of Jacoby Brissett this past season. He was a candidate for the Buccaneers offensive coordinator job earlier this offseason, and the Cardinals blocked him for a handful of interviews. Ultimately, he’ll head to Baltimore to coach a former MVP.
With Woolfork brought aboard, Tee Martin will not be returning to Baltimore for the 2026 campaign, per Jordan Schultz. Martin spent the past three seasons as the Ravens QBs coach, and he spent two years before that coaching Baltimore’s wideouts. The 47-year-old built a strong relationship with Jackson during his tenure with the organization, but Minter and new OC Declan Doyle decided to bring in their own QBs coach.
AFC Staff Notes: Texans, Titans, Ravens
Here’s a look at the latest coaching staff updates from the AFC:
- The Texans recently moved on from tight ends coach Jake Moreland, assistant linebackers coach Ben Bolling, and offensive assistants Patrick Reilly and Mike Snyder, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 (links: 1, 2). They subsequently brought in James Ferentz as their tight ends coach and Alex Ward (not to be confused with the Raiders’ long snapper) as an offensive assistant. An NFL offensive lineman from 2014-23, Ferentz spent his first two years with the Texans. He immediately became the Giants’ assistant offensive line coach after his playing career ended. After two seasons in New York, he’s moving back to Houston to work with tight ends. Dalton Schultz, the Texans’ top TE, finished with a career-high 82 catches in 2025.
- The Titans have hired Cade Knox as their offensive assistant/game management, Paul Kuharsky reports. The Harvard alumnus held a similar position from 2022-25 with the Giants under head coach Brian Daboll, who’s now the Titans’ offensive coordinator. Knox will replace Rob Riederer in Tennesee and assist with timeouts and challenges.
- Nebraska hired Miles Taylor as its safety coach last month, but he’s already leaving for a promotion. The Ravens are hiring Taylor, per Sean Callahan of On3. He’ll serve as their assistant defensive backs coach, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic adds. Taylor spent 2025 as a coaching fellow with the Chargers. New Ravens head coach Jesse Minter was the Chargers’ defensive coordinator then. A few weeks after the Chargers’ season ended, Taylor and Minter are reuniting in Baltimore.
- The Chiefs recently requested an interview with Raiders running backs coach Deland McCullough, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. McCullough, who’s coming off his first year with the Raiders, previously coached Chiefs running backs from 2018-20 under offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. While Bieniemy left the organization in 2023, he became Kansas City’s OC again last month. That could open the door for McCullough’s return.
- The Jaguars interviewed Bills assistant offensive line coach Austin Gund for their run game coordinator opening, per Jordan Schultz. The Jags went on to hire Brian Piccuci instead, leaving Gund’s future up in the air. Gund has assisted along the Bills’ offensive line since 2023, but O-line coach Aaron Kromer retired after the season. The Bills replaced Kromer with Pat Meyer, and it’s now unclear if Gund will return in 2026.
AFC North Staff Notes: Steelers, Ravens
Here’s the latest coaching news from a pair of AFC North cities:
- The Steelers are adding IUP offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. to their staff in an unspecified role, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The move reunites Cignetti and new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, who worked together in New Orleans from 2000-01 and again in Green Bay in 2018. Then in his 13th year as the Packers’ head coach, McCarthy hired Cignetti as the team’s quarterbacks coach. McCarthy didn’t survive the season, though, as the Packers fired him after a 4-7-1 start. Cignetti has since coached at the college level, including a run as Pitt’s offensive coordinator/QBs coach from 2022-23, but will now return to the pros.
- Ramon Chinyoung Sr. will serve as the Steelers’ running backs coach in 2026, the team announced. It’s another familiar addition for McCarthy, who has now hired Chinyoung twice. As the Cowboys’ head coach in 2023, McCarthy brought in Chinyoung as the team’s assistant offensive line coach/quality control. McCarthy lost his job in Dallas after 2024, but Chinyoung stayed on Brian Schottenheimer‘s staff this past season. Chinyoung is set to work with Steelers running back Jaylen Warren in his new gig, while fellow RB Kenneth Gainwell is slated to reach free agency after totaling 1,023 yards (537 rushing, 486 receiving), 73 catches and five touchdowns in 2025.
- Eddie Faulkner, who preceded Chinyoung as Pittsburgh’s running backs coach, is expected to take the same position with the rival Ravens, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. During his seven-year tenure in Pittsburgh, Faulkner oversaw career years from the Warren-Gainwell tandem in 2025 and four straight 1,000-yard seasons from Najee Harris from 2021-24. He’ll now coach the Ravens’ Derrick Henry-led backfield in Baltimore.
- Elsewhere on the Baltimore staff, the Ravens are finalizing a deal with P.J. Volker to work as a defensive assistant, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Volker, coming off a three-year stretch as Navy’s defensive coordinator, is “extremely close” with new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, Zrebiec notes. The two were teammates at Mount St. Joseph and later coached together at Indiana State and Georgia State.
Ravens To Add Joe Lombardi To Staff
Joe Lombardi was fired one week ago in a move which ended his tenure with the Broncos. That paved the way for in-demand quarterbacks coach Davis Webb to be promoted as Denver’s new offensive coordinator. 
Lombardi has not needed to wait long to line up a new opportunity, however. The Ravens are hiring him as a senior offensive assistant, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports. This will allow for a reunion between Lombardi and new Baltimore OC Declan Doyle.
The pair worked together under Sean Payton in both New Orleans and Denver. In both cases, offensive coordinator gigs elsewhere in the NFL came about based on their work with Payton. Lombardi has been an OC with the Lions and Chargers during his career; both of those jobs were preceded by stints as the Saints’ quarterbacks coach. The 54-year-old reunited with Payton for 2023 and remained Denver’s offensive coordinator for three years.
Doyle’s first OC opportunity came about during last year’s hiring cycle. He was a member of Ben Johnson‘s Bears staff, but that role did not include play-calling responsibilities. The opportunity to call plays for the first time in his career was a key factor in Doyle, 29, deciding to leave Chicago and come to Baltimore. There is of course risk in having an inexperienced offensive coordinator paired with a rookie head coach in the form of Jesse Minter. Having Lombardi in place as a veteran presence on staff could be prove to be beneficial.
The Ravens posted strong offensive numbers during Todd Monken‘s first two years as the team’s offensive coordinator. Baltimore experienced a regression in 2025, a season in which quarterback Lamar Jackson spent much of the time sidelined through injury or playing through a series of nagging ailments. The Ravens will obviously look for better luck on the health front moving forward, but improved efficiency in the passing game in particular would go a long way in allowing for a return to the playoffs in 2026.
For Lombardi, a strong showing during his third stint partnering with Doyle would help his future coordinator stock. Minter, meanwhile, will continue the process of building his initial Baltimore staff with a number of key hires already taken care of.
Ravens To Hire Anthony Weaver As DC
With Jeff Hafley bringing in a new defensive coordinator yesterday, Anthony Weaver found himself in need of a new opportunity. The latter will return to a familiar spot for the 2026 season. 
Weaver is being hired by the Ravens as their new defensive coordinator, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Weaver worked as the Dolphins’ DC for the past two seasons. That spell was preceded by a stint on Baltimore’s coaching staff.
From 2021-23, Weaver served as Baltimore’s defensive line coach. He also held the title of associate head coach during his final two years there, an indication of how well-regarded he is by the organization. The former defensive end also played his first four NFL seasons as a Raven, adding further to his familiarity in this case.
Weaver has previously worked as a D-coordinator with the Texans (2020). The 45-year-old has also drawn head coaching interest on a number of occasions during recent hiring cycles. The Ravens were among the teams to speak with Weaver twice before ultimately hiring Jesse Minter as their new HC. Minter has indicated he will call plays on defense in 2026, but this Weaver agreement marks a notable addition to his coaching staff nevertheless. Minter was previously a Baltimore staffer as well, but he and Weaver have never worked together.
The Dolphins ranked fourth in yards allowed and 10th in scoring defense during Weaver’s first season as defensive coordinator. Miami regressed in a number of areas in 2025, finishing near the bottom of the NFL in several categories. That did little to hurt Weaver’s stock in general or his value to the Ravens in particular, however. It comes as little surprise he has quickly lined up a Baltimore reunion late in the hiring cycle.
On Sunday, Hafley continued the Green Bay-to-Miami theme of the offseason by hiring Sean Duggan as defensive coordinator. That was an expected move given the many occasions on which both staffers have worked together. It confirmed, though, that Weaver would be headed elsewhere. In short order, a Ravens reunion has been arranged. Baltimore has a long track record of tapping familiar candidates for the D-coordinator gig, and this hire is no exception.
Internal promotions are commonplace in the case of the Ravens when it comes to this position. Weaver’s return is of course slightly different, but he fits the bill of a staffer highly familiar with the organization. Zach Orr was promoted in 2024 to serve as Mike Macdonald‘s replacement. His first season leading the team’s defense ended on a high note, but things did not go according to plan in 2025. Before the news of a new coordinator arriving, Orr was already heavily linked to the Cowboys; he is expected to be hired as Dallas’ linebackers coach. Weaver will look to help lead a defensive rebound compared to Orr’s showing from this past season.
Minter recently brought in Declan Doyle as Baltimore’s new offensive coordinator. A number of other staffing changes have taken place, and there is more work to be done on that front. Attention will now turn to the Ravens’ special teams coordinator vacancy.
Declan Doyle Left Bears, Joined Ravens To Call Plays
Declan Doyle was planning to stay in Chicago for at least one more year. The 29-year-old withdrew from the Eagles’ search for a new offensive coordinator, telling them he would remain with the Bears, who were under the same impression.
Then, the Ravens came calling, and their offer – to work with Jesse Minter and call plays for Lamar Jackson – was too good to turn down. Ben Johnson‘s presence in Chicago would keep Doyle from ever becoming the Bears’ play-caller. With many (though not all) teams looking for such experience when hiring new head coaches, Doyle accepted the job in Baltimore.
While Minter and Jackson were major draws, Doyle was already working with one of the league’s most exciting head coach-quarterback duos in Johnson and Caleb Williams. Instead, the opportunity to develop and call his own offense put the appeal of the Ravens’ offensive coordinator gig over the top, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Jackson was named MVP in his first season with his last two offensive coordinators, Greg Roman and Todd Monken. The latter’s success with Jackson is a major reason he was named the Browns’ new head coach last week.
Similar results from Doyle will keep him on the radar for future head coaching gigs. He is already seen as a fast riser in the coaching world with time under Johnson and Sean Payton, two of the most respective offensive minds in the league. He played a key role in revitalizing the Bears in 2025, and success in Baltimore will further boost his resume for future hiring cycles.
AFC North Coaching Updates: Browns, Koetter, Ravens
New Browns head coach Todd Monken continues to build his first NFL staff, and he continues to do so by rounding up his former coworkers. Today, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that UMass offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian would be reuniting with Monken to serve as Cleveland’s new quarterbacks coach.
Bajakian worked with Monken during their tenures with the Buccaneers. Since then, Bajakian has roamed the collegiate coaching circuit working as OC/QB coach at different points with Boston College, Northwestern, Utah (interim), and the Minutemen. That litany of experience working with young, college athletes should prepare him well for the challenge he faces in developing a Browns quarterbacks room that features two rising sophomores (and, potentially, a new rookie this year).
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, former Jets tight ends coach Jeff Blasko is expected to be making his way to Cleveland to accept the same job under Monken. He will be reuniting with both the team and the new head coach after working as the Browns assistant offensive line coach in 2019, when Monken was the team’s offensive coordinator. Additionally, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Monken is bringing over yet another Baltimore migrant, adding former Ravens offensive assistant Ian Kolste to his staff in Cleveland in an as of yet unknown role. Kolste was considered to be a rising, young mind in the Ravens building.
Lastly, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Browns are interviewing former Ravens assistant quarterbacks coach/director of football strategy Daniel Stern for the role of associate head coach. All three hires and Stern fit the criteria of having worked with Monken in the past.
Here are a couple other coaching updates from around the AFC North:
- Pelissero also brought a report out of Cincinnati that Davis Koetter, the son of former Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter, has been hired as the Bengals‘ new assistant wide receivers coach. The younger Koetter was an analyst at South Carolina last year and had worked for two years at Texas before that.
- Finally, in Baltimore, new head coach Jesse Minter is filling out an expected vacancy in his staff. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens expect Stern to be leaving for the job he’s set to interview for in Cleveland, and the team is hiring former Colts game manager Charlie Gelman to fill his place. Gelman is expected to be coming in as Baltimore’s new game management coordinator/defensive assistant.
WR DeAndre Hopkins Open To Re-Signing With Ravens
DeAndre Hopkins joined the Ravens in free agency last offseason by inking a one-year deal. The decorated wideout now faces an uncertain future, although he would welcome a second Baltimore campaign. 
“The reality of it, having a new offensive coordinator, being an older guy, I know football and I know how the business side works,” Hopkins said during an appearance on the Up & Adams show (video link). “I would love to come back, but not every offensive coordinator is wanting a veteran receiver on their team. Some guys have different dynamics of how they go about coaching. It’s nothing personal.”
The Ravens are in the midst of widespread coaching changes. The arrival of Jesse Minter as a first-time head coach, coupled with efforts by John Harbaugh‘s Giants and Todd Monken‘s Browns to recruit Baltimore staffers, has created a number of vacancies. One of those was filled yesterday with the team agreeing to hire Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator. It will be interesting to see if Doyle supports the idea of a new Hopkins deal.
In 2025, Hopkins got off to a strong start with 99 yards and a pair of touchdowns across his first two games. Despite remaining healthy through the remainder of the campaign, however, the five-time Pro Bowler totaled just 330 yards on 22 catches; he did not add any more scores along the way. That production is comfortably the lowest of Hopkins’ 13-year career, and it will no doubt lead to another modest free agent pact. He joined the Ravens on a $5MM deal last spring.
Baltimore’s receiver depth chart is set to be topped once again by Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman in 2026. Flowers is coming off his second consecutive 1,000-yard campaign, and the two-time Pro Bowler is eligible for an extension this spring. Bateman, meanwhile, is on the books through 2029. Retaining Hopkins would once again consign him to a depth role, especially with tight end Mark Andrews still in the fold for next year and beyond.
Hopkins, who will turn 34 in June, noted he would have preferred a larger role in the Ravens’ offense (a unit which dealt with quarterback injuries for much of the year). Nevertheless, he would be amenable to another season working with Lamar Jackson and thus enjoying a degree of stability at the QB spot. Since the end of his Texans tenure, Hopkins has worked with several signal-callers during time with the Cardinals, Titans and Chiefs which preceded his Ravens stint.
Expectations will be tempered in this case given Hopkins’ age and drop-off in production relative to his best seasons. Still, he could offer a veteran presence to any receiving room. As the Ravens sort through their list of pending free agents, a decision will soon need to be made on offering a 2026 deal.